Allow optional alt text in custom mood themes

[jadelennox]

Title:
Allow optional alt text in custom mood themes

Area:
mood themes

Summary:
Allow creators of custom mood themes to add optional alt text to describe images where the mood itself is not enough for rich description.

Description:
As discussed in http://dw-accessibility.dreamwidth.org/10005.html, some mood themes (usually custom ones) can be richly described by more than the mood itself. Many, for example, use images from shared media which could be interesting to anyone who shares an interest in the media source. For example, if there were a Smallville mood theme, the text would say something like "happy -- Clark smiling at Chloe" or "sad -- Lex when his car is destroyed".

For many simple mood themes, most likely including all official ones, mood icon image descriptions would just add pointless noise. "Happy -- smiling star" doesn't add much information over "Happy". Also, this would need to be documented well so makers of custom mood themes understand what kind of alt text is likely to be useful (if any), otherwise it will add pointless noise.

Suggestion: edit http://www.dreamwidth.org/manage/moodthemes to include an optional text-entry field to add alt text. Write a brief and easy-to-understand description of what is useful mood theme alt text, explaining that leaving it blank may be the best choice. Then allow mood themes to have non-blank alt text.

Poll #1851 Allow optional alt text in custom mood themes

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 41

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
33 (80.5%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
2 (4.9%)

(I have no opinion)
6 (14.6%)

(Other: please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Comments

[foxfirefey]

I love this idea for accessibility reasons.

[triadruid]

This.

I'd love to hear from those who don't want it implemented, as to why they think it's a bad idea.